Raising Harry, Dodging Dementors
by Angelauthor14
Summary: When Sirius Black discovers his godson is living with his magic-hating relations, he knows he has to save him. But can he really raise Harry while dodging dementors? Lots of cute bonding! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Another of my Alternative childhood for Harry fics! But this one is slightly different. In this one Sirius is on the run with Harry. It should have more action than my normal ones but just as much bonding! I love writing bonding! Oh and Graciella Bellanotte-Diadoro has written a convict-Sirius-raises-Harry too and so we are both posting at the same time so that no one thinks we are plagiarising each other if some bits are similar. Hers is probably going to be a lot better than mine because she is a better writer than me so if I was you I would check it out! I would really appreciate reviews, they mean a lot, so if you have a few seconds please give me some feedback even if it is just one word. Now onto the first chapter, I hope you enjoy it!

Raising Harry, Dodging Dementors. 

Pain exploded down his side as Harry made a half hearted attempt to roll over. He groaned as loudly as he dared and clutched his chest, he was sure that he had cracked at least three ribs.

"Shut up in there, boy!" A voice snapped as his cupboard door was banged, hard, sending vibrations across the floor which jarred Harry's back painfully.

"S-s-sorry," Harry croaked, his throat dry from not having water for so long.

Harry lifted one small five year old hand up to wipe his bruised eyes. It wasn't fair, all he wanted was a family, all he wanted was someone who would love him. But anyone who had ever loved Harry had been taken away a long time ago. His parents and the people who were always around the house laughing with his parents and swinging Harry around, he couldn't remember who they were or what they were called but they were nice… and now they had left him and his parents had left him and Harry had no one.

--

Thousands of miles away a ragged, bruised, starving man was staring out of the bars around his cell. He was alone in the world; his family had disowned him and were now dead, at least Sirius thought they were but having had no contact with them for several years he had no way of knowing, they were dead to him anyway, in a way they always had been. His only really family were his friends and two were dead, one a murderous traitor and the other would never forgive him for the mistakes he had made. The only person who Sirius had ever loved and was still alive and didn't hate him was little baby Harry… but he wouldn't be a baby anymore and he had probably grown up with tales of Sirius' murderous traits and despised him as much as everyone else, Sirius hoped not. It was bad enough Remus hating him, if his little godson hated him then Sirius would demand a Dementor gave him the kiss. Sirius sank to the floor miserably as that thought overcame him.

Sirius wondered where Harry was, perhaps with Remus he thought hopefully. Remus would tell him that his godfather was a murderous traitor but at least Harry would be safe and happy. Remus would look after him well. He was brilliant with children. Or maybe he was with Hagrid, it was Hagrid who had collected him after all. Sirius couldn't help but hope not, Hagrid's heart was in the right place but Sirius doubted that he could raise a child. Harry would constantly be surrounded by fire-breathing creatures or other dangerous animals which bit and scratched and… Sirius shivered. No, Harry would be with Remus. Remus would have demanded it, James and Lily would have wanted it. There was no other place they would have sent him.

He sat up quickly as he heard a voice coming from outside, a man's voice. That was a rare thing in Azkaban, the only sound was screaming, no one had the strength to talk but no one could help the agonizing screams which escaped them during dreams or when a Dementor was far too close.

"Who's is in this cell?" A familiar voice asked.

"Black," another voice answered, a nervous quiet voice, one which Sirius had never heard before.

Whoever had asked the question sniffed in distaste, this was the usual response to his name and this time Sirius found that it didn't hurt him as much as usual. He was far more interested in what the minister was doing in Azkaban. He dragged his weary body back over to the door and used the wall as support to drag himself to his feet, as soon as he could he grabbed the bars tightly to keep himself upright.

"Minister?" He said croakily, his voice rusty from not being used for so long.

The minister jumped as if he had been shot and he spun around fearfully and took a couple of steps backwards.

"I want no trouble from you, Black. There are Dementors everywhere, you put one step out of line and I will have them administer the kiss immediately." He stuttered.

"I'm not causing trouble," Sirius said defensively "I just wanted to ask you something."

"I am not legally bound to answer any of your questions," the minister said puffing out his chest importantly.

"So answer them as a favour," Sirius coaxed.

"I don't do favours for murderers," The minister snapped and made to walk away.

"Please!" Sirius shouted after him, it was one of the few times Sirius Black had ever said that word. The only other times he could remember was when he was begging for James and Remus' forgiveness after he told Snape how to get past the Whomping Willow and when he was pleading James and Lily to change their secret keeper to Peter, he wished he had never said that word now, had been the secret keeper himself like planned. Maybe it was Sirius' use of this word which made the Minister freeze, maybe even he was curious as to what exactly Black wanted so much.

"You may ask, I will choose whether or not to answer," He said at last, he was unnerved by how sane the convict seemed.

"Is Harry with Remus?" Sirius asked, his eyes searching the Ministers face for confirmation so that he could sleep easier.

"Aha!" The minister pounced on what he thought were Sirius' incriminating words. "So! You want to know where little Harry Potter is so you can finish him off and get rid of the whole family! You want to finish your Lord's work. You want to-"

"No!" Sirius' eyes widened in horror. "I don't want to hurt Harry, I just wanted to check he was okay. I didn't get rid of his parents, I'm innocent! It wasn't me! Voldermort is NOT my lord! I would never serve him!"

The minister was quite beside himself now, "You dare say his name! You are his servant! You gave him the Potters and now you want to claim the youngest Potter."

Sirius forgot his voice was creaky, forgot he was speaking to the Minister, forgot he wanted a favour. "I DO NOT SERVE VOLDERMORT! I WOULD NEVER HURT MY GODSON, I NEVER GAVE HIM THE POTTERS, THEY WERE MY FRIENDS! WHY WON'T SOMEONE JUST UNDERSTAND THAT!?"

The minister blinked bewilderedly. "Well… there were witnesses. You did it!" He pointed an accusing finger at Sirius who shook his head fiercely.

The Minister looked almost defeated and puzzled as he went to walk away again.

"I'm stuck here! I'm stuck here until I die. What do you have to lose by answering a simple question?" Sirius tried in one last desperate effort.

The minister considered this, his brow creased in thought and then at last he said "Harry is not with Remus Lupin,"

Sirius sank down onto the floor of his cell in shock, Harry was not with Remus? Then… then… who was he with?

He climbed shakily back to his feet and gave a little start when he realised that the minister had once again walked off and was now quite far away.

"Where is he!? Where is my godson!? TELL ME!" Sirius yelled but the minister feigned deafness and continued his inspection.

"Tell me and I will… I will… I will do whatever you want," Sirius said desperately.

The minister was back beside him in seconds. "Anything?"

Sirius' eyes darted around wildly as he nodded eagerly.

"Will you admit the truth?" The minister asked, a smile playing on his lips.

The truth? Admit the truth? What was that supposed to mean? But if it meant he could find out where his godson was then it would be worth it, anything would be worth it. He nodded agreeably.

"Admit you sold the Potters to Voldermort!" The minister hissed coming up close to Sirius' face. "Admit it! And I will tell you where Harry is… and you will get the Dementors kiss."

Sirius blanched, the only thing that had stopped him from getting the Dementors kiss was his insistent plea of innocence, without that… he was as good as dead. But he could die knowing Harry was safe… and maybe the kiss was better than Azkaban. He certainly didn't think it could be any worse.

But what would that be admitting? Admitting that he killed his beloved friends? Convince those who currently had doubts that he was indeed guilty. It felt like he would be tarnishing his friend's memory to lie and say that… but surely they wouldn't mind if it meant he got peace of mind over Harry.

Meanwhile the minister was rubbing his hands gleefully as he watched the conflict of emotions on the convict's face. He was going to do it… finally he was going to admit that he did it, after everyone else had failed. He had succeeded. He could see the headlines now…

**Minister Masters Black. **

**Black Tells All At Minister's Request. **

**Minister Achieves When Hundreds Fail. **

He waited eagerly for the convict's words.

Sirius licked his lips. "I sold-"

He tried to force the next words out, they wouldn't come. His face was strained with the effort to rid his mouth of the horrible words, they tasted bitter in his mouth.

"The Potters," he spat out at last.

The Minister actually began to hop around in glee. "Dementor! Dementor over here! Dementor to administer the kiss immediately!"

Black, shadowy figures immediately appeared everywhere, fighting to be the closest to the cage that Sirius had called home for the last four years.

"Wait!" Sirius said frantically "you said you would tell me where Harry is!"

The Minister considered this for a minute. "Yes, I suppose I did…" He paused. "I might as well tell you, it won't help you now, will it?"

Sirius felt himself getting weaker from the Dementors presence but he fought to keep conscious so he could hear the Minister's words. Perhaps he stayed with Dumbledore or McGonagall he thought desperately.

"Your godson is currently living with…" He paused, enjoying watching the man's suffering. "his relatives… Petunia and Vernon Dursley they are called, I believe."

Sirius' head began to spin and this time the Dementors had nothing to do with it. The Dursleys? His precious godson was living with those magic-hating pompous gits?

"But… but… Lily hated them. They hated her… they will hate Harry." He began to shake his bars in an effort to get out, something he hadn't done since his first month when he realised it was hopeless.

Suddenly he regretted his lied confession so much it made his chest hurt. He was going to be kissed, they couldn't kiss him now! He had to save Harry. The point was he knew Harry was safe and then got kissed, but Harry wasn't safe and he couldn't be kissed! Not now…

His hands got sweaty and his face went some deathly white that he looked like a ghost already. He was panicking so much that he didn't notice the exchange that was going on outside his cell.

"I want Black disposed of immediately!" The minister roared. His skin was blotched red with anger at being stopped from doing what he wanted to do. The Dementors were getting to him and he wanted to get out of there.

"There must be a twenty-four hour wait before the kiss is administrated," A long suffering guard explained patiently.

"Immediately!" The minister repeated.

"24 hours!" Another of the few human guards snapped back, he was less patient than his work mate.

"I am the minister! I can get both of you fired!" The minister tried again, how dare anyone say no to him? Yes, he was new to his post but he still deserved respect… he bet they gave Dumbledore respect. He needed the newspapers to say that he had finally made Black confess and had then disposed of him for the public's safety. It would raise him loads of support and he certainly needed it, how dare everyone prefer Dumbledore for Minister!

"Not without breaking your own laws!" The impatient guard yelled back.

The minister gave a growl of annoyance and turned on his heel.

"I want Black executed in exactly twenty-four hours then!" he shouted over his shoulder.

And this was the bit that Sirius heard… he had twenty four hours. Twenty four hours to get as far away from here as he could… so that he could save his godson. But how? No one has ever escaped Azkaban before?

Sirius paced up and down his cell, searching his brain desperately for a plan… any plan. The schemes that had come to him so easily when he was younger wouldn't come. The plans for pranks which could be fully formed in Sirius' head within a few minutes stayed away. His devil side stayed silent. He couldn't think.

He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't do anything. His godson was with the scumbags of the earth and was probably in pain or neglected and he was stuck in a cell hundreds of miles away… stuck for something he hadn't even done. Harry was young and vulnerable, he was helpless… and Sirius was too.

His breathing became even more erratic as the clock in the checking in office struck twelve, he had already wasted two hours. Two hours worth of running was gone. He tried to think clearer, at least the Dementors had gone away now. How did he think clearly usually? When he wanted to focus on things like Harry's birthday what did he do?

It came to him suddenly. He changed into Padfoot… and that was exactly what he could do now. He could change into Padfoot and get through the bars. Then he could swim across the sea and get on his way to where he knew the Dursleys lived. What was it called again? Privet Drive?

He wasted no time, he concentrated hard on his dog form and soon he felt himself begin to change. The second he had four paws he scampered over to the cage and tried to push himself out through the bars, for a second he thought he wouldn't fit but the starvation he had suffered came in use as, with a plop, he was out the other side. The cold sea air whipped across his fur and he felt exhilarated. He was going to help his godson, he was going to fulfil his promise.

He ran towards the sea edge as fast as he could, _why have I never tried to squeeze out before?_ he wondered, he guessed the Dementors got to him more than he had thought. He sniffed the sea air, the salt going up his nose deliciously. It reminded him of the holidays he had been on with the Potters when he was a teenager. The water fights, burying each other, playing on the arcade games… tears slipped down his muzzle.

But he couldn't think of that now, he had to think of Harry. Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry. The name floated around his head almost like a song. He could finally think of Harry's birth and the other happy times he had spent with the family. His head felt so light now he was away from the prison. He heard a muffled clang and quickly came to his senses. With one last, long sniff he leapt into the water. His body hadn't felt water for so long and it felt so refreshing. He paddled as quickly as his doggie legs could take him and soon the prison was just a dot in the distance.

Sirius Black was free.

--

His legs ached, his bones creaked, his fur was sodden, his eyes stung and his head hurt when he finally collapsed on dry land. He had been swimming for days and as he had already been starving other than a quick snack of sea weed and small fish he had had no food for energy. His godson's smile had been his energy. Just thinking about it had made him swim faster.

The sun warmed his fur as he lay spread-eagled on the sand. He didn't even have the strength to lift his head… he was too tired… he had to sleep….

The feeling of the waves gently brushing around his paws awoke Sirius and instantly he was on his feet, he had no wish to be swept back out to the sea he had only just conquered. He pulled himself to his feet and began to amble slowly to the sound of traffic, there had to be some civilisation somewhere. He needed to know where he was and how to get to Surrey.

It wasn't long before he got to a small fishing village, a quick look around quickly bought a few sign posts to light and Sirius saw that he was in Margate, it could have been worse, at least he was fairly close. He used the sense of direction which had served him so well when he was an auror to point him in the right direction and soon the skinny dog was running down the side of the roads, in ditches or behind greenery. Sirius Black would not get caught, not this time.

The trip seemed to stretch on for eternity, yet not seem long at all, it was tiring and yet energising, it was draining and yet fulfilling. Sirius had done a bit of begging along the way and in his starved state had managed to look even more appealing than normal and so had managed to obtain quite a lot of food which fuelled his rescue plight. He was running faster than ever before, his legs were a blur, he was….

He was in Surrey, at last. Sirius had to sit and stare at the welcome sign for a good ten minutes before even he believed it. He had to move on pretty quickly as he was getting quite a few funny looks but he didn't mind, he was used to funny looks. The important thing was he had achieved the impossible. He had broken out of Azkaban, he had found his godson against all odds, he was free and soon his godson would be too!

He set off running again, slightly slower than before so that he could read the sign posts. It would be disastrous to get lost now. When he finally worked out where Privet Drive actually was he ran faster than he had in the whole journey he was so close! So close….

And then he reached the Drive, he was a few yards away from Harry… so near and yet… so far. His run slowed to a trot and then to a walk and then finally he completely stopped, he had to steel all of his will to keep going the last few paces. What if Harry hated him just like everyone else? What if Harry wouldn't accept him for anything but a murderer?

He was there, Number four Privet Drive. He was standing outside. Looking up at the large, well kept house and he sat. He sat on the pavement and just stared at the building which was towering over him. He sat and stared, just sat and stared at the bright red front door…

--

A/N So, there's the first chapter. I really hoped you enjoyed it. Please do drop me a review, even if it is only one word it means a lot. I'm sorry there was not any bonding, I missed my bonding fix too but there is a lot of cuteness at the end of the next chapter and then every chapter after that is full of cuteness! Please do give me some feedback and don't forget to check out Graciella Bellanotte-Diadoro's story!


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: Wow, thanks so much for the reviews. I really, really appreciated them. Please do keep them coming. To prevent confusion I have called Sirius; Sirius when he is in human form and Padfoot when he is in dog form. At least I _hope_ that prevents confusion, knowing me it just complicates things!

Check out Graciella Bellanotte-Diadoro's awesome fic; It Keeps You Runnin' which is a brilliant read!

Chapter 2

A bad nights sleep under the Dursleys' old shed had done nothing to improve Sirius' temper. Even as Padfoot the shed had been too small for him and now his back ached worse than ever from being so cramped.

His temper was raised even more when a deafening scream made his ears ring, his poor over-sensitive dog ears which his paws couldn't reach to cover. He had to fight the urge to turn back into human form just to save his hearing.

"I WANT AN ICE CREAM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

A sugar-sweet yet slightly exasperated voice floated to Padfoot's, now damaged, ears.

"But Diddikins, you can have an ice cream at the park." _Diddikins?_ Padfoot thought with a doggy smirk _rather an unusual nickname. _

"I WANT AN ICE CREAM NOW AAANNND AT THE PARK, GET ME ONE NOW!!!!"

Personally, Padfoot knew _exactly _what the boy wanted, no…_needed_ but it did not involve an ice cream. He closed his eyes tightly _Please Merlin let that not be Harry. _He didn't see how the nickname_ Diddikins_ derived from Harry but he had no idea of the Dursleys' kid's name so for all he knew it could be either.

Sirius Black had no experience of children, not since he had been one anyway, and he had even less experience of a child having a tantrum, he would have been Avada Kedavra-ed if he had even _thought_ about having one when he was young and so he didn't even have his own childhood to work with. Sirius Black also had very little patience, _how would he deal with Harry if he was like that?_

He didn't have to suffer long though as a few seconds later a blonde-haired whale waddled into view. Definitely not Harry. Relief flooded Padfoot's body as he stretched more leisurely across the ground and waited for his godson to come into view.

However, it was a woman who came to his attention next. Well, Padfoot found it _smelt_ of the flowery fragrance that women normally emit yet she looked more of a mixed breed between woman and horse.

A fat man tottered after them, his clothes could have fitted about five of Sirius even without his current emaciated state and yet they strained across the man's broad chest. They must be the whale's parents, Padfoot realised, surely his godson would be trailing after them next, perhaps he was embarrassed to be seen with the bellowing whale, a horse women who kept squealing "But, Diddikins!" And a man who looked like he had swallowed a whole shop full of beach balls.

Padfoot smirked, his godson would come out once his relatives had got a good way in front of him, then he could pretend he wasn't with them; it's what James would have done.

But even after the, rather large, forms of the Dursleys had long disappeared from view no other child had left the house. Padfoot frowned as well as a dog could, Harry was surely far too young to be left by himself. He surveyed the area for nosy neighbours before crawling out from under the shed and running towards the house, he was going to see exactly where his godson was!

He leant hard against the door but it remained stubbornly closed, obviously the Dursleys hadn't been quite so frazzled at their son's tantrum to forget to lock the door. He growled, and then began to circle around the house, looking for an entrance. There wasn't a cat flap, and the windows weren't open except…

A slow wolfy grin spread across Padfoot's face, the tiny ventilating window besides the back door was open. He raced towards it and, after a quick look-around, changed into Sirius. The ex-convict swept his dirty hair out of his face and slid one grubby hand through the tiny window, it only just fitted. He slid his arm in as far as it would allow and bent it around towards the door, he wriggled his fingers around on the smooth wood looking for the…ha, he had got it. The key was gripped in his shaky fingers and he gave a little twist, slightly alarmed at how much effort he had to put in because of his weakened muscles.

The door swung open and Sirius quickly bounded inside, regaining some energy in his triumph. He had an urge to yell out for his godson but he knew that that might scare him, he didn't want to do anything rash. He just needed to look in at him and check he was okay and was being treated properly and then…Sirius swallowed, and then he would have to see how far he got.

His godson was not in the kitchen, or in the lounge although the fellivision (is that what muggles called them? Sirius couldn't really remember. Muggle Studies was a long time ago.) was blaring loudly. Harry was not downstairs.

The stairs creaked loudly as he made his way up, Sirius was sure he heard a scared gasp and froze but, although he listened for a number of minutes, he never heard another sound. Upstairs there was a bathroom, vacant, a master bedroom, so pristinely clean Sirius wrinkled his nose, and two big rooms stuffed to the rafters with all manner of toys and gadgets.

Sirius smiled, one room must be the Dursley kid's and one must be Harry's. He couldn't really work out which was which though. With a shake he returned to his task, quickly realising that this was the last room in the house. _Where was Harry?_

He could have been at a friend's house or on a school trip or _anywhere_ but Sirius just had a feeling that it wasn't. He _knew_ Harry was somewhere in the house, he could _feel_ it; but where?

If only Harry would make a noise, though after all the shouting the Dursley brat had done Sirius doubted he would hear him with his damaged ears.

Hearing! It struck Sirius suddenly, what he needed was extremely good hearing and…sense of smell! If he changed into Padfoot he could smell where Harry was!

Before he had even finished that train of thought he was Padfoot again. He took a big sniff of the air, he could smell cleaning detergent extremely strongly. He sneezed before attempting to smell the air again, slightly more cautiously this time.

He could vaguely make out the smell of a human, _it must be coming from downstairs. _

It was as the big black dog was bounding down the stairs that the smell hit him strongly, Harry was very close by. Padfoot froze, somewhat confused. When he walked away from the stairs, the smell weakened. It was at it's strongest when he was standing right at the bottom of the stairs, but Harry wasn't lying on the stairs!

His sense of smell had never let him down before but if he was right then Harry was in the middle of the stairs…unless…Padfoot ran over to the place where he knew some muggles had cupboards under the stairs, yes! The smell was coming from in there. He eyed the big padlock with growing apprehension and anger, _just what had the whales been doing to his Harry?_

Wasting no time, he slipped back into his human form and studied the lock. He didn't have his wand and had never performed much magic without it. Alohomora was supposed to be extremely hard to pull off wandlessly but Sirius had never let anything stand in the way of what he wanted before.

"Alohomora!" Sirius said confidently, pointing at the lock. He was most gratified to see it spring open as the blast of green light hit it.

Now to see his godson. He leant down hesitantly, extremely afraid now that the time had come.

_What if Harry hated him?_

_What if he was as awfully behaved as his cousin?_

_What if it was too painful to see him?_

_What if Harry was so well guarded that he had wards so aurors came the second Sirius touched him?_

_What if Harry knew all about magic and called the Dementors on him himself, could a five year old do that??_

_What if Harry DIDN'T know about magic?_

_What if, as the padlock indicated, his godson really was being mistreated. What could a convict do?_

_Would James and Lily want this? Want him with their child?_

He nearly scoffed as the last thought ran through his head, of course they did!

Sirius Black, the brave Gryffindor, pulled the cupboard door all the way open as if it was going to bite him and then looked inside with all the hesitancy one would when about to be fed to lions.

Sirius Black's heart stopped at the sight that met his eyes. A small child was curled up in a little ball, one skinny arm wrapped around a moth-eaten stag that Sirius remembered buying the boy himself when he was just a baby.

Messy black hair flopped over the scar that Sirius knew was hiding beneath it. He smiled softly as the boy shifted slightly and he saw the boy's tiny thumb was in his mouth and he was sucking it unconsciously. He must have gasped with pleasure as the boy's beautiful emerald orbs suddenly snapped into view and pierced Sirius' slate grey eyes in terror.

"Please don't hurt me." Harry whispered, causing Sirius' heart wrenched painfully but he couldn't stop a small smile creeping onto his face… because Sirius Black had found his godson.


End file.
